Suicide: Knowing the Signs and Getting Help

I am 28 years old and have been experiencing hair loss/thinning for about 4 years now. It effects every aspect of my life, especially my self-esteem. I have been, and still am, very depressed and anxious to the point where I have considered suicide because I don't want to deal with it anymore! I used to have very thick spiral curly hair but now it is just limp and kinda wavy! Sometimes I just hate myself! I am taking Zoloft for my depression but this all still really upsets me!

Entertaining thoughts of suicide is the most severe and obvious sign of clinical depression. While almost everyone feels sad at some point in her life, depression is more of a state than a mood. Women who are depressed feel hopeless and helpless for prolonged periods of time, and often lose their appetites and ability to sleep - and they may also imagine what it would be like to commit suicide. Unfortunately, about one in ten women in America will suffer from severe depression during her lifetime.

Men are statistically more likely than women to actually commit suicide, but overall, fewer men than women think about doing it in the first place. More often, women consider killing themselves without acting on those impulses. Of those women who do attempt suicide, many pick methods that make it more likely that they will survive, such as wrist lacerations or drug overdoses, while men select more violent means, such as hanging or self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Women who are depressed and are considering suicide have several options for seeking help. Often, simple changes in lifestyle can make a huge difference. The best thing a depressed woman can do for herself is to be surrounded by loving, understanding, and supportive friends and family members who can be there to provide encouragement and reassurance. Also, if a woman improves her diet to make it healthier and begins an exercise routine at the same time, this can be a big boost as well - these changes may not only make a woman proud of the decisions she is making, but they can physically improve her body chemistry, which may be at the root of her depressive state.

If these changes are not enough alone, counseling is another option. A depressed woman might want to find a counselor who specialized in women's mental health. And if counseling alone isn't enough, antidepressant medications have proven to be very effective treatment. These drugs may take a while to improve a woman's mood, so they should be given at least a six week trial before another drug is considered.

Most importantly, in emergency situations, women should call suicide hotlines. These telephone numbers may be found in the phone book, and are often run by people specially trained to offer assistance to suicidal individuals. Suicidal thoughts are also a reason to go to the emergency room. Just remember that suicide is very often a sign of underlying problems that could be worked through and changed - suicide can't.

REFERENCES
a listing of scientific articles and texts used.